When the US consumer is weakening, Walmart is usually one of the last dominoes to fall. When economic conditions get tough, low-income shoppers rely on it even more. It’s also become a destination for higher-income consumers looking to cut costs. That’s what made Walmart’s first comparable-sales loss in six years particularly hard to swallow on
Walmart, America’s largest retailer and one of its most critical economic bellwethers, just sent a worrying message. The firm beat second-quarter earnings estimates and lifted its full-year guidance, but unveiled several worrying figures that suggest US consumers aren’t doing so hot. Shares of the 64-year-old retail giant tumbled as much as 9% to a 2026
Navigating New York City’s economy can feel like a gauntlet of minor indignities. Selling ice cream, for some reason, requires two different permits. Want to quit your gym? You may have to send a certified letter by mail. Oh, and before you haul your belongings to that storage unit, you’d better read the fine print
Spotify cofounder Daniel Ek built his audio empire on the premise that music should be instantly playable, with no waiting around for songs to buffer or download. Now, he’s taking that desire for instant gratification and pointing it at our bodies. Ek has developed a $500 longevity body scanner that collects photos, blood, and electrical
Futures are mixed ahead of a big week for major retailers as new questions emerge about the state of the U.S. consumer, a major engine powering the American economy. The S&P 500 edged 0.1% higher, while Dow Jones Industrial Average futures slipped 0.2%. Nasdaq futures gained 0.5%. U.S. stocks hit an all-time high last week despite some
Microsoft has begun to integrate its consumer and enterprise Copilot apps, starting a process that will culminate in a super app planned to feature chat, coding, and autonomous functions. The company said that it is starting to roll out a unified experience across the two platforms, beginning this week with a small subset of users.